I've deliberately not read the other responses, only read the opening post (well, that's all I need to reply to, right?) simply because I'm sure there's nothing new being said amongst the OT fans. Why am I here, then? Well, I was five when Star Wars came out, which puts me amongst the first generation of fans, and our voice is the one that needs to be heard first. I will say, before I go, that I am often out of synch with the OT fans, but viva la difference say I, and ultimately we're all Star Wars fans and we are all equally passionate about these films.
Sebastian Shaw was a Shakespearean actor and I loved his involvement in ROTJ. Who would have thought that beneath that mask was the kindly face of an old man? And I loved the little look he exchanged with Obi-Wan when he re-appeared in spirit form at the end of the film. However, as someone who followed the prequels and didn't deny their existence (as some OT fans prefer to) I accept that the face of Anakin is Hayden's. Anakin views himself as the person who died in his twenties, not his forties. The spirit is not a literal representation of a person when they die - otherwise, that ghost would have no legs and one arm - so it's perfectly acceptable that Anakin return in this way.
So, in answer to the question "what was my response", I was perfectly fine and understood the reason for the change in terms of tying in with the prequels and in terms of believability in the concept of the story.
I hope that this view, although unpopular amongst some - many? - of the forum members doesn't cause us to fall out in a big way.